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The Virtues of Lobster Stock

By Mark Bittman July 3, 2009 12:01 amJuly 3, 2009 12:01 am

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

I was at a Korean restaurant a few nights ago with my colleague and friend Sam Sifton and, after a couple of glasses of soju, the two of us — both expert hyperbolists — readily agreed that lobster stock was the best part of the lobster. At some point I believe one or the other of us said something indefensible like “in fact you could make the stock and toss the lobster and still be happy.”

This is obviously not credible, but it does point out that in the last few years each of us has become completely enamored of lobster stock. (Sam has written about before, here; I talked about it here, in the lobster, pasta, and mint piece that ran recently. I began working on that article between Christmas and New Year, when I was on the Cape. The lobster was ridiculously inexpensive, and I cooked it a few times that week, making more and more stock, which is easy to make, supremely flavorful, and among the fastest stocks you can make. (I no longer fuss over lobster bodies; I add them to the stockpot.)

So when I arrived back on the Cape last week and found a beautiful tranche of striped bass sitting in my fridge — from a fish caught that day (my landlords are saints) – I had an inspiration that led to this: I used a cup of my just-defrosted lobster stock and a tablespoon of butter to make a small but lovely little rice pilaf. While that was cooking, I seared the fish well on one side (also in butter), then removed it to a plate; I then browned sliced fennel in the same pan. When that was soft, I added lobster stock, a little chili, and the fish, and cooked the whole thing down.

Striped bass, as many people know, is not best left rare; it’s more like monkfish in texture than, for example, swordfish, and needs full cooking. So by the time it was done, the stock was reduced (and enhanced), the fennel was tender, the pilaf ready to eat.

….
*channels James T. Kirk* BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Sir, I am going to sue you for emotional abuse of saliva glands. Gah. I should not read this blog on an empty stomach.

My comment is for the current article on Paris Bistros that gives no possibility of a commentary. This article by the “all-knowing” Mark Bittman has infuriated me as he has managed to put down two French chefs who are both creators, real artists as well as 3 star chefs. Whether or not Ducasse is an entrepreneur is not the question as he has remained foremost a chef at heart. As for Pierre Gagnaire who is by far one of the most dedicated, sincere, artists in the world-wide business of feeding people has proved to be the most important chef on this planet, but again I suppose that Bittman did not take the trouble to dine at his restaurant or his taste buds are totally dulled by additives, colorants & chemical fertilizers.

It’s interesting that so much flavour is in the shell. Last week my wife made a pasta dish with prawns. She shelled the prawns then used the heads and shells to make a stock with onion, garlic, fennel and tomatoes, which she strained, reduced then stirred in a small spoonful of cream.
She put some of the bisque into bowls, swirled over spaghetti tossed with fresh basil and lemon, then topped it all with the seared prawns.
I’m not much of a foodie but I have to say that this dish was remarkable. A work of art.

Like Mr. Ferrato (#7), I often use shrimp stock. However, I don’t bother freezing it; it only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to make, and, since I generally use it when I’m making shrimp, anytime I need the stock I have the shells I need to make it.

Typically, the first thing I do is peel (but not devein — yet) the shrimp. I put the shells in a pot with water, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of white wine, a couple of bay leaves and some peppercorns, and turn on the heat. I let the stock simmer while I devein the shrimp and do whatever other preparation is needed for the meal. Most of the time, by the time I’ve finished the prep work the stock is ready to use.

#9: I have read and reread the Bistro article several times now and checked the links. I fail to see where MM Ducasse and Gaigne were insulted at all. I believe the point being made was that tutelage by these masters allowed the younger chefs to find their own voices rather than to become pale clones of their teachers.

The gluttons have no shortage of excuses for destroying the planet. In 2009, I’ve had lobster, shrimp and salmon once each. I regret eating the lobster. It was one of those things were I was curious as I has never had lobster before. It’s not that I don’t like fish but THERE ARE plenty of other choices.

Let Bittman, the excuse makers like Rilke, Japanese and the Europeans take the blame for wiping out the world’s fish populations.

Many species of fish like the eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna will be gone from the planet, not in 100 years, but in the next 5 -10 years. The biggest enemy of planet Earth is the attitudes of people like Rilke.